Bowling @ West Coast Community Club

After trying out Wii, Gwendolyn learnt a new post in playing bowling: it's to stand on one leg and lift the other at the back after rolling the ball. See, she was practising this at the West Coast Community Club!

Fu Fu and me

Mama saw this picture from Patrick Fu Fu's msn and asked for a copy. Isn't it a very sweet picture?!

I Love Swimming

As Gwendolyn grows, she starts choosing her own swimming costumes. Sometimes, she wants a more girlie look, so that she is "pretty". This time, she's chosen one where Mama's bought quite some time ago, but she hasn't really worn for swimming before.

Getting ready to go into the water

Dog paddling

I swim...I swim...

Hi mama, I can swim by myself!

Quick quick...it's getting cold!

Cable Car Ride

Last Saturday, Mama's friend, Auntie Eva was in Singapore for an assignment and we met up for lunch at the Jewel Box @ Mount Faber. We ordered 3 set lunches and Gwendolyn was given some colouring to do.

Cheese...I'm colouring the cable car!

Auntie Eva and me

After the delicious lunch, we were given 3 free cable car tickets into Sentosa and the adults just bought an additional child ticket for Lyn Lyn to fulfil her wish for a cable car ride! Yeah!

Finally, Lyn Lyn is seated in the cable car after several requests!

There's a handle. Hold on tight!

I can board the cable car by myself

Trip to HK: 4-8 July 2007

Gwendolyn was really looking forward to the HK trip, as she has broken her Mickey Mouse waterbottle that she's bought from the previous trip!

Day 1 : Departure

Lyn Lyn, without forgetting her Spot and Steve, helped a lot in bringing the luggage from home to the taxi! Off we go!

I can...I can!

Even though Dora was the latest theme cartoon character on SIA and there were Dora show as in-flight entertainment, Lyn Lyn still preferred her "no-ear-piece" DVD machine that she brought along with her

Lyn Lyn: I take responsibility of my own DVD machine! It's mine!

Day 2 : Disneyland

Weather in Hong Kong was not very stable when we touch down. It was quite unpredictable as to when we can go to Disneyland, as Lyn Lyn had wished. On the second day, after waking up, Gong Gong noticed that it was not raining and suggested that we all go to Disneyland to get Lyn Lyn's water bottle. Yes, Lyn Lyn's main aim of the trip is to buy a new water bottle, as her previous Mickey Mouse bottle is broken. What an expensive bottle...with 4 adults accompanying a child all the way there to buy!

Anyways, Lyn Lyn's other request was to take the "turnaround horsey ride"

The Pooh Bear Ride

AND Ultimately, to SHOP!

WHY did we buy an umbrella, because, it was raining and Lyn Lyn needed her own umbrella!

This is the first time Lyn Lyn taking the "Tea Cup" ride and she loved it! She kept turning the turnsile in the tea cup and screaming along the way!

Oh yeah! Not forgetting Dumbo, the flying elephant as well!

The last "Boat Ride" which scared Lyn Lyn with all the "mechanical" animals surrounding this Amazon river...

Poor Lyn Lyn was splashed by the "Baby elephant", playing water in the river! Woo woo...I'm wet...

Pirates of the Carribbean visiting Disneyland as well! Hi Pirate Mickey!

If you think the Disneyland mission is over after purchasing of the water bottle, you're very wrong! Who would have guessed that Lyn Lyn wanted a Mickey balloon? We went for the Golden Mickey show and before that, we saw a balloon-man selling balloon outside. Mama told her that we'll buy after the show. Unfortunately, it rained just before the show was finished and the balloon-man went into hiding. Our clever Lyn Lyn remembered the balloon that Mama had promised to buy and kept asking for the balloon. Poor Gong Gong, Por Por, Papa and Mama were hunting high and low, looking for the balloons, as Lyn Lyn was showing a long face. Eventually, Mama suggested that we all head for Customer Information and tell them about a desparate child wanting their balloons. Knowing the Disney culture, to make everyone in the theme park happy, they happily responded and tell us that they'll get the balloon-man to come to the Customer Information station to sell us the balloon. When Lyn Lyn finally saw the whole bunch of balloons appearing in front of her, she showed a bright smile and was very happy to have gotten her much wanted balloon! (P.S. unfortunately, she couldn't bring it back to Singapore, as it consists of helium and can't bring onto the plane. The poor balloon, hopefully, is still sitting in Hong Kong!)

After Disneyland, we had dinner with Uncle Yuen before we meet up with Auntie Annie and Uncle Derek in Tsim Sha Tsui for some ice-cream...surprisingly, Uncle Derek seems to be fun to Lyn Lyn and Lyn Lyn kept teaching him to sing a mandarin song!

Day 3: Papa and Mama shopping

Today, Papa and Mama went shopping and Lyn Lyn spent most of the time with Gong Gong and Por Por. Papa and Mama went out for dinner with Mama's ex-colleagues and Auntie Maria and Auntie Winnie baked 2 different cheese cakse for everybody to try: Blueberry Cheesecake and Lavendar Cheesecake! Yum Yum!

Day 4: Shatin Jockey Club

Another favourite place for Lyn Lyn, where she can play in the big playroom, submerging into the balls and sliding, jumping wherever she likes!

Day 5: Departure

The 5-day trip was very short for Gong Gong and Por Por to enjoy time with Lyn Lyn. However, it was enough for Papa and Mama...hehe...you know what Lyn Lyn has been doing most of the times in Gong Gong and Por Por's house? She got hooked onto the new game console: Wii...her favourite games were: Cooking Mama, tennis and bowling!

For more pictures of the Hong Kong trip, please visit Fu Fu's photosite:
http://fotop.net/patrickko/20070705

I can float with my arm bands!

Gwendolyn's been reading a story book under the Topsy and Tim range called : Learn to Swim. In the story book, Topsy and Tim are twin sister and brother and both were learning how to swim using arm bands. Ever since that book, Lyn Lyn's been asking to try out with her arm bands, where Mama bought quite some time ago, but has forgotten where they've been kept. Finally, they've been found and Lyn Lyn tried them out together with her floaty first. When she became more confident, she removed her floaty and used the arm bands only. See, she's enjoying herself so much and being able float by herself!

I can float in different ways: sideways, in front, bent, etc

My new car

Gwendolyn has asked Papa and Mama to buy her this new car, so that she can navigate around the house! She can navigate so very well!

Baby Jennye's First Month Celebration

23 June 2007 was Baby Jennye's First Month Celebration. Baby Jennye is Joel Di Di's new cousin, a new bundle of joy to Uncle Justin and Auntie Sharon.

Gently patting Baby Jennye. Lyn Lyn: I'm a big "jie jie"!

Lyn Lyn: Do I look sweet posing next to Baby Jennye?

What a fantastic view of the Bedok Reservoir from Uncle Justin and Auntie Sharon's home!

Pretty Me

Never seen Gwendolyn so girlie before?! Can't agree with you more! It was so difficult to get her to put on a dress...at least, she's worn once and Gong Gong Por Por's effort is not wasted!

Dora Lookalike Competition

The long awaited Dora Lookalike Competition is finally held on Father's Day at Forum the Shopping Mall. Gwendolyn is all excited and has been "practising" her Dora dances, tag lines and Spanish words by watching her Dora VCDs! She insisted on performing the Pirate Show and needed the pirate costumes, but they were so difficult to find. Mama helped her with the usual Dora costume, bracelet, some stars and most important of all, her natural Dora Lookalike appearance!

We arrived at Forum at around 2:15pm, whilst the registration won't start until 3:00pm. She went around the basement area and sat herself down in front of the bookshop to watch the Dora VCD again, before her actual competition, waiting for Summer and Rachel, another 2 contestants! When Uncle Don arrived, he commented that it was so confusing to see so many kids being dressed up in the same way, as if a cloning problem outbreak at Forum!

Before the competition: Summer and Gwendolyn relaxing at McDonalds!

Prizes for the 3 winners!

There were 50 registered contestants for the Lookalike Competition, but Mama doubt that all of them have turned up! All the kids were being arranged in alphabetical order and seated in front of the stage, waiting for their turn to go up one by one. They're being judged by their costumes, personality and ability to act like Dora! Mama told Lyn Lyn that she needs to introduce herself by saying: Hola! I'm Gwendolyn and I'm pretending to be Dora today! (in Dora's usual speaking tone). Lyn Lyn was practising quietly after Mama and trying to remember her lines. After that, Mama told Lyn Lyn to try and sing/dance one of the songs, e.g. We did it! and then she was quietly trying to practise the song as well. She appeared to be able to remember what she's supposed to do on stage.

Patiently waiting for her turn to go on stage

Hopped on stage confidently

Once she got on stage, she got distracted by Joanna, the host, as she was asking Lyn Lyn questions and Lyn Lyn's forgotten about what she's supposed to do...

G: Lyn Lyn; J: Joanna

J: Hello, what's your name?

G: Gwendolyn (a big round of applause and cheer)

J: Oh, you've got a fan club here! You dressed up like Dora! What's hanging on your sleeve?

G: Boots (trying to grab the hanging Boots from her sleeve)

J: What are you holding in your hands?

G: Stars

J: Do you know how to say star in Spanish?

G: (Hesitated, with hints from J) Estrellas!

J: Thank you. That was lovely!

And that ended her "performance" on stage!

After the "hardwork", all the contestants were asked to go to the back of the waiting area to wait for the remaining contestants to complete their "performances". It was so nice of Ms Angeline and Ms Wahila to come all the way to support Lyn Lyn in the competition! Both of them came behind and spoke with her and she was so happy to see them as well. Especially Ms Angeline, as she's been spending most of the after school evenings with Lyn Lyn since she's enrolled at Etonhouse. After her departure from the school, I believe both missed each other's company so much! So touching...

After all the "performances", the contestants were once again brought on stage to sing together and took a group photo!

Lyn Lyn was standing at the back roll, third from the right!

What's more exciting? Dora and Boots came out from the back of the stage to meet and greet the kids again! All the kids were crazy about them and rushed to hug both! Lyn Lyn's asked both Boots and Dora to hug and kiss her little Boots!

When the results were out, Lyn Lyn didn't win anything, but all contestants received a goodie bag, containing a Dora water bottle, Dora lunch box and a Dora/Diego notepad! Most important of all, a certificate of participation! It was really fun for Lyn Lyn on that day!

At least, Papa Mama knows that Lyn Lyn doesn't have stage fright and she can stand up confidently on stage! It's really a good experience!